Don’t Flush Those Disinfecting Wipes

Don’t flush those disinfecting wipes; even the ‘flushable’ ones can clog pipes, officials warn

While public health professionals are urging everyone to wipe down surfaces with disinfecting wipes to stave off coronavirus, California water officials are worried a dramatic rise in the number of people flushing wipes will overwhelm wastewater treatment plants and home plumbing. It’s important to throw wipes, paper towels and other cleaning materials in the trash, not down the toilet, the State Water Resources Control Board said in a news release Tuesday. Even if your wipes claim to be “flushable,” authorities say they will back up your pipes and create sewage treatment issues. Trying to flush them “will clog sewers and cause backups and overflows at wastewater treatment facilities, creating an additional public health risk in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic,” the release states. By: Erika Martin, KTLA 5